Mayor Wu today announced plans to turn Dartmouth Street in front of the Copley library into a pedestrian area between June 7 and June 17th - in a pilot that could lead to the block being shut to traffic permanently - and to re-create the Newbury Street open-streets pedestrian program on long stretches of Centre Street in Jamaica Plain one day in July, Blue Hill Avenue in Grove Hall in August and Dorchester Avenue in September.
Programming will include activities unique to each neighborhood, offering a taste of culture through a variety of food trucks, big games, photo installations, exclusive performances and activations. Examples include a block party in collaboration with SEED in JP, a roller rink in Roxbury, and boxing on Dorchester Ave.
The Copley Connect pilot program will temporarily connect the plaza in front of the library with Copley Square Park and will include "food trucks, programming from the Boston Public Library, performances, as well as various activities for youth and families," the city says. City planners, though, will use information from traffic and other studies to consider whether to shut the block to traffic permanently or to open it more frequently as an event pop-up space. A couple years ago, Boston permanently turned the smaller Birch Street in Roslindale Square into a pedestrian gathering spot and seating area for surrounding restaurants.
On Sunday, July 10, Centre Street in Jamaica Plain will be closed to traffic from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. between Lamartine Street and the Monument.
On Saturday, Aug. 6, Blue Hill Avenue will be open to just pedestrians from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. between Warren Street and Dudley Street.
On Saturday, Sept. 24, Dorchester Avenue will be car-free from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. between Freeport Street and Gallivan Boulevard.
A pedestrian-only Newbury Street will return this summer as well, although dates have not yet been set.
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Good thing it's a pilot then!
By fungwah
Fri, 06/03/2022 - 11:51am
And, based on this, it sounds like we agree that it's not that big of a deal to run such a pilot and see how it goes. Heck, sounds like you'd be ok to stretch it out to at least 6 days, which seems even better to me than what Wu's proposing!
Boylston St.?
By HenryAlan 2.0
Fri, 06/03/2022 - 12:06pm
The Marathon closure is very different from what is proposed here, which would literally be a single block of one street, rather than multiple blocks of several streets. Regardless, this is a pilot. Implicit in that label is the idea that data will be collected and analyzed in order to make an informed decision, rather than simply go with what one Internet blowhard says to another Internet blowhard.
Not that closure
By Waquiot
Fri, 06/03/2022 - 4:00pm
They close this block about mid week before the marathon, then it's reopened the afternoon after the race.
If you would like a preview
By anon
Thu, 06/02/2022 - 7:43pm
If you would like a preview of what 6 hours in September will be like, come to Dorchester between 1 and 4 PM this Sunday and try to get anywhere. Then add more people because college kids will be here and no one will be on vacation like in the summer. I can't wait to take a leisurely stroll down Dot Ave between Freeport and Adams and look at all the auto body/repair shops, plumbing supply warehouse, DotHouse, and empty Vietnamese grocery store parking lots. Maybe the Martinez Tires chickens will be out crossing the road!
I'm all for street closures in the summer, but this one used absolutely zero thought and clearly zero engagement and understanding of our community.
Our community
By anon
Fri, 06/03/2022 - 6:42am
As someone who lives on the affected portion of Dot ave, maybe that stretch road would not be the depressing, traffic choked hellhole that you (correctly) describe it as if we encouraged people to get out of their cars and think differently about how we use our public spaces…
It's a one-off pilot to see
By CH
Fri, 06/03/2022 - 10:34am
It's a one-off pilot to see what works and what doesn't. If it doesn't work, as you predict, they won't do it again. The sky isn't falling.
Let's close Blagden St Oct-May
By Friartuck
Thu, 06/02/2022 - 9:30pm
So the homeless can sleep on the heating grates outside the library undisturbed.
Thx, Michelle!
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